The Time We Spent
by Sylvano
Summary: In this alternative world, Malik is a cambion (half-demon) that lives with his brother in the 21st Century. Altaïr, a Cherubim (a high-ranking able to take the form of either an eagle, a bull, a human or a lion),has been sent to the Earth to stop a demon that could grow into being a threat for humanity. And in the angel senses that Malik is somehow linked to this dangerous demon...
1. Chapter 1

"Can we do it again?"

The girl clung with eagerness to Malik's arm. He looked at her blankly, emotionless. She was very plain, with black long hair, a special-trait-less face, and a very usual in-shape body. In fact, now that he was out of his sexual drive, he even considered her ugly. He took a last puff out of his cigarette and got up, throwing a "no" at the woman's face.

As he started dressing up, she also got on her feet on her side of the bed and walked to his side to protest:

"Please…"

He turned his head to stare at her without a word, until she lowered her eyes and blushed. She backed up a few steps:

"Sorry…"

He finished dressing up and walked to the door. As he was opening it, the girl tried a last time in a whiney voice:

"Can we at least exchange contact info?"

"No."

He slammed the door behind him.

He was flying high in the sky, gliding over a city. He didn't quite remember its name. The speed at which the humans changed the things of name, and overall changed, in fact, made it impossible for him to remember much about them. But after all, he usually never left His side, so it was somewhat understandable he had not learned the names. He hadn't needed them up until now.

The wind changed, and he flapped his wings to correct his trajectory, a bit annoyed. He really liked being an eagle and flying around in the sky, but these creatures were way too feeble. Any little change of atmosphere and they could drop down to the floor helpless.

He angled his flight and dropped toward the floor. He let his speed build up until all he heard was the sound of the wind in his ears. He kept on, until he got at five meters away from the floor. Then, he opened his wings and braked, transforming into a human as he was two meters away from the ground. He landed a bit hard and rolled once to slow himself.

He got back up, sweeping his clothes clear of dust and dirt. He looked around. He had landed on a hill from which he could see the city a bit further to the east. A grimace of disgust appeared on his face at the sight of the cloud of black smoke he could see exit its proximity. These humans really had no consideration for His creation. He shook his head to stop thinking about it. That was not his mission; he had to come off it.

He started walking toward it, knowing that it might take some time.


	2. Chapter 2

Malik heard the front door open and steps, then it closed. Kadar's voice echoed from the entrance:

"Tadaima!"

The older man got up from the couch on which he was sprawled and extinguished his cigarette in the nearby ashtray. He stood at the door of the living room, looking at Kadar.

"Why do you keep doing that?"

His little brother looked at him clueless.

"Do what?"

"Talk in Japanese."

A smile sprawled on the younger's face.

"Why not? It's fun."

"How much do you even KNOW of it?"

"Well, uh… A bit?" tried Kadar with a bit of a malaise.

"A 'bit'? As in…?"

"A few expressions…"

Malik sighed deeply and let go. He walked to the kitchen and opened the fridge. His brother followed him, dropping his back in the alleyway. The older one turned around at the sound and said to Kadar, as the latter was entering the room:

"Go put that in your bedroom."

"But…"

Their eyes met, and Kadar sighed in annoyance:

"Okay…"

He turned around and went to fetch his backpack. He carried it to his room, and there was a distinct thud as he dropped it again on his bedroom's floor. Malik sighed in annoyance at the sound and lit himself another cigarette. He breathed in once, then left it on the ashtray to put food out of the fridge. He carried it to the counter, where he left it.

Kadar entered the room once again and sat at the counter, face to face with his standing-up brother. He looked at the food on the counter and winced.

"Why are there so many vegetables?"

"Because."

"Can't you leave some out of it?"

"No."

"Please?"

"I said 'no'."

"Pfff, alright, alright."

Without taking his eyes off what he was doing, Malik asked:

"How was your day?"

"I met someone."

"Hm-m."

"…that wanted to see you."


	3. Chapter 3

The older man shot a glance at his brother then got back to his work.

"What?"

Kadar shook his hands in front of him.

"_Wari, wari_. That was said a bit strangely, now was it? I mean somebody asked me if I knew someone that looked the exact same as you, so I gave him our address so he could visit."

Malik lost his temper at those words.

"Are you-" he started, interrupted by the front door's bell. "Wait here."

He walked to the door, with a heavy step, and opened the door angrily.

"What?" he said harshly before looking at who was there.

In front of him was Altaïr, in everyday clothes. The angel looked him up and down coldly, as if he was examining him. It took a bit of time, but in the end, as if satisfied, he looked Malik in the eye and smiled.

"My name is Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad. May I ask you some questions?"

The other glared angrily at the man in front of his door.

"Why would I let you?"

"Pretty please?"

Malik stared at Altaïr, trying to figure out what to do with this man. The other didn't break their eyes contact, and his smile didn't weaken in the least, even less faltered. Not understanding how or why the man in front of him could hold his ground, he lifted an eyebrow. It aroused his curiosity. He moved aside, leaving an opening:

"Please enter."

Just because of his stillness, he was worth the interest.

All along the interview, as he was asking one question after another, Altaïr realized that he was not the only one to examine his interlocutor. The half-demon's eyes kept on wandering on the Cherubim endlessly, sensing and inspecting. The angel could also feel another pair of eyes fixing his back. He knew they belonged to the _putti_-like brother of the cambion. Or, more like the _half_-brother of the older one, since the latter had an incubus as a father.

During the questioning, Malik, as he had stated his name was, kept on making the dinner. He chopped the meat, then the vegetables, to find himself with an actually quite cute surprised face when he realized he had nothing else to cut. At that moment, he had even looked a bit like his younger brother, a thing that had made Altaïr smile in his sleeve. It was even cuter considering that the half-demon usually always was so full of himself and arrogant.

After having gotten recovered from his surprise, the Arab had started cooking the supper. He had also ordered his younger brother to set the table, before telling his unknowingly holy guest that if he wanted to stay for dinner, he had to go help Kadar. Which the angel had done; he had wanted to continue asking questions.

And now, perched on a tree's branch in front of the Al-Sayfs apartments' building, Altaïr ruffled his feathers once before smoothing them back, preparing himself for a long day of watch. He now was certain that the cambion was not the threat he had been sent on to eliminate. But nevertheless, he still felt like he was in some way linked to the demon he was looking for…


End file.
